LET'S TALK ABOUT PIERCINGS!

So whenever I open my FaceBook, I come across girls about how they’d like to have xyz piercings or that they got it but don’t know how to take care of it or they’re just plain scared to get it.

I would like to share my experiences , remedies and aftercare of my piercings because I have a bunch of them. Count: 8. Let me know what else you know about piercings and its aftercare because I am all ears and still learning.

1. INDUSTRIAL PIERCING:

Yes, this is the first one I got. A bad decision for a lot of girls who have a low pain tolerance. My advice: start with the easier ones then move on to the difficult ones like these. I got my industrial done three years ago from Sarwana Gulf, Clifton. They pierced it with a needle and screwed its ends. The lower hole didn’t hurt that bad but the upper hole was terrible. The first two days were fine but then it got worse. It swelled, it was tender. My ear got so big that you couldn’t even see the needle. The sleepless nights, constantly cleaning, washing, using saline solution and what not. It eventually got better but I am a picker, I touch my piercings and so I ended up with a bump on the upper hole and it looked ugly and ruined the look of the piercing. I didn’t know what to do, how to get rid of it and Google doesn’t help at all and so I started putting things on my ears that slowed down down the healing process which i'll be discussing later on. One morning I woke up with a huge bump and it scared me. The Sarwanas were not any help at all so I couldn’t take it and popped it. There was pus and blood but eventually the bump got smaller and went away. This piercing is very complicated and painful but it goes away and when people compliment your ear and how rebelling it is to possess it. It is versatile but it has some cons. It can be healed within six months if taken proper care but if not, probably two years.

2. TRAGUS PIERCING:

This is one of the easiest, nicest piercing that I had and anyone can have it pierced. It heals quickly in a month or two. It doesn’t hurt at all and it looks amazing. It has a whole different level of love from me.

3. FORWARD HELIX PIERCING:

It was like tragus but a little more painful. However, it is easy to clean.

4. DAITH PIERCING:

This piercing is exactly like the industrial and it hurts a lot. It is very hard to clean and I suggest you not to move the jewellery. The only thing good about this piercing is that you can sleep on it because it is right in the middle of your ear but still take necessary precautions and make sure your pillow covers and bedsheets are clean.

5. UPPER LOBE PIERCING:

I HATE THIS PIERCING! STILL HATE IT! It gets stuck in your hair, your brush. You get it done on both the ears so you can't sleep at all. A bump is formed every other week. It is pretty but too painful to deal with.

6. LOBE PIERCING:

These are the most basic ones we get when we are little primarily by our grandmothers at the age of 3 so the pain tolerance and the healing processes are too blur to remember. However, still love its look.

7. NOSE PIERCING:

This piercing is the standard desi piercing giving us the Asian model look. Nose rings and nose pins can be worn based on the nose type or just one's personal preference.

REMEDIES/ AFTER CARE:

1. First thing that every piercer/ Google tells you is to buy a saline solution and yes it works wonders. Try making it at home by combining a small amount of sea salt in hot water in a cup and put it on a surface and hold your ear down to the cup. I know it sounds ridiculous but it actually works amazing. The steam will open and clean the wound making it heal quickly.

2. Take a Q-tip and dip it into warm mustard or coconut oil and carefully clean the holes of your piercing inside, outside and around the piercing. Microwave oil for a few seconds and apply. It’ll clean the crusties and heal the holes.

3. Microwave a little bit of ghee for a few seconds and add a pinch of haldee (turmeric) into it and apply it with a Q-tip or clean fingers. A very desi totka but works wonders as haldee possesses healing properties.

WHAT ARE CRUSTIES?

So, this is the number one question and the most important thing to know.

The piercing produces lymph( crusties) which is a pale/yellow discharge secreted during the healing process. It is sticky and it is best to get rid of it but not by constantly picking it.When it is secreted the metal or the jewellery gets stuck to the skin because of the lymph formation. Your body isn’t going to magically draft onto the jewellery so there is no need to whatsoever move the jewellery it can only cause bumps and slow the healing process. Keep doing the after care mentioned above. Crusties are not the sign of infection.

BUMPS:

ANNOYING, IRRITATING, UGLY!

Why do we get bumps?

· Twisting and turning the jewellery

· Sleeping on it

· Brush or hair getting stuck to the jewellery

· Not cleaning it

Types of bumps:

The microbic bump:

This bump hurts when touched or moved. It has pus and blood in it caused by microbes entering the body because of constant touching or dirty pillows and sheets.

Hypertrophic scarring:

It’s the initial stage of a keloid. It is small but not painful.

Keloid:

They don’t hurt. They get huge; larger than the piercing hole itself. If you have keloid prone skin, they can be surgically removed.

It is hard to prevent bump formation because you’re sleeping on it, touching and irritating it. Take care of your piercings like a baby.

SIGNS OF INFECTION:

· Swelling

· Redness around the piercing

· Hot to touch. ( if these symptoms last for more than two weeks)

THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT DO:

· Use gel-based ointments like polyfax and betnovate

· Have pain reliefs

NOTE: In case of severe infection, go to the doctor but do not remove the jewellery.

To Wrap It Up:

Piercings are great. These aren't just accessories. Once you get a hold of how to maintain them, they turn into a lifestyle. For me, it's my symbolic statement. I am known as the girl with lots of piercings so if you are someone who is passionate about piercings as much as I am, start with basic do's and don'ts and get your piercings done. I promise you they'll be worth the pain and effort, especially when they heal.

Here is me flaunting my piercings: